RAMALLAH, West Bank — Work on a Palestinian social security law began in October 2012, and the first draft was submitted July 27, 2015, to the Council of Ministers by the committee selected to develop it. The draft presented had shortcomings that required further amendment. The final version of the law was submitted in December to the Council of Ministers, which is expected to ratify it and send it to the president for signing.
The law covers issues related to retirement benefits, maternity leave, disability and payments to families of deceased workers and compels companies to make contributions to the Social Security Fund on behalf of their employees. The draft law comes at a time when Palestinian workers are suffering hardships and dire conditions, with no guarantees of financial security. The minimum wage law is not being enforced, and Palestinians face rising unemployment and difficulty being allowed to work in Israel.
